The final PT album, originally released in 1988, in 2023 remastered form, with bonus tracks, including a rare live version of Significant in Ten Years from the 1988 tour of Europe.
This release pays tribute to SPOT who recorded, mixed, and produced Power Toy. He had a unique magyk, rare heart, and will be missed.
It's been 35 years, and we can still see his smile, hear his stories, and remember how he made cats walk backwards.

From peacedogman.com - PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH- "Powertoy" - This 3-piece juggernaut recorded what would be its swansong and best record over all in 1988. While the self titled ep and full length “One Way Conversation” were enough to showcase the sheer brute force, chops, and sonic suavity of PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH, this record put them over the top with some really choice songwriting as well. Their demolition of HEART’s “Barracuda” is about the best cover version of all time. “Extinction Plus”, “Criticize the Critters”, “Billy Holiday’s Nightmare”, “Paper House” and the rest of this record’s wanton display of rock brutality bulldozed it’s way into my heart at the near end of the 1980’s with the subtlety of an ax blow to the cranium. Feedback laden wah guitar, overdriven Rickenbacker bass, piledrivin’ drums, spazzy vocals and crazy time signatures were the order of the day.

from peacedogman history of power trios: PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH: These guys were like a bizarre cross between SONIC YOUTH and “Red” era KING CRIMSON. Though their tenure was brief, their impact was quite colossal to all eight of us who shelled out our hard-earned greenbacks to bask in their brutal genius. From 1986 to 1988 the self titled Homestead Records debut, “One Way Conversation” and the masterpiece known as “Power Toy” (to which I’ve periodically thought of naming a band after – trite though it may sound) were released and have never left my musical arsenal no matter how streamlined it has dwindled down to in these hard economic times.

Splendid Magazine - Upon its release in 1988, Power Toy was instantly hailed as a groundbreaking fusion of dissonant post-punk polemics and scathing art-house contempt.

plenty of swords - math rock blog - I understand December is typically for yearly lists but you won't catch one on this site from me. Possibly a few albums that have had staying power but nope sorry take your pitchfork elsewhere for a list. So I'll do you one better and reflect back into the early years. Truly not enough people these days want to speak about formative bands in math rock these days. One of many such groups is the interestingly named Phantom Tollbooth (after a famous childrens book...if your not familiar its a good read for anyone). Extremely active and prolific in their relatively short life span (1984-1988) these guys threw down some fairly left field music for the time. A generous mix of post-punk, noise, art rock and the ever important jazz element made Tollbooth a crazy fast ever shifting group to nail down. If that description sounds a bit like your used to thats because at times it certainly smacks of math rock.

Take a listen to the song "Crash Mode" and you'll begin to see what I mean. They were contemporaries of all the hallowed groups from the 80's (Sonic Youth, Mission of Burma, Minutemen ect) and were on the excellent Homestead label (Big Black, Bastro, Seam, Dinosaur Jr. among many other wonderful groups) "Power Toy" was their last album in 1988 and is arguably their best which would be a great starting point if you're just coming into them.